CW: Abuse, neglect, & death
Recently a nursing home in Connecticut was shut down after a resident died after not receiving her medication. The woman was 41-years-old and had epilepsy and intellectual disabilities. Among the medications she was supposed to receive were Clobazam, Diazepam, and Dilantin. This is a tragedy that could have been avoided. Upon investigation, it was discovered that in the five days following the woman’s admission, the staff had only given her one dose of Diazepam, no Clobazam until the day of her death, and just one dose of Dilantin.
On February 2, the woman was discovered unconscious in her bed and was confirmed deceased by a doctor due to a heart attack. Stories of abuse and neglect in nursing homes are far too common. At Quinnipiac Valley Center alone, three residents died within a month. One of whom had diabetes and didn’t have his blood sugar monitored adequately.
Many nondisabled adults probably don’t realize that many people in long-term care facilities are not elderly. Some of them are children and young adults. According to federal nursing home data, over 6,000 young people under 21 live in nursing homes in the United States. In 2010, people ages 31 to 64 made up 14 percent of the nursing home population, an analysis of federal data from the Department of Health and Human Services by NPR’s Investigative Unit found.
People with disabilities have the right to live at home in their communities. Living at home gives most disabled people greater freedom than living in a long-term care facility. Home care workers play an essential role in keeping the elderly and disabled alive, and they should be treated fairly.
Sources:
Altimari, Dave. “Report: Nursing Home Resident Died after Not Receiving Medication.” CT Mirror, Bruce Putterman, 17 Mar. 2022, https://ctmirror.org/2022/03/17/report-nursing-home-resident-died-after-not-receiving-medication/.
Shapiro, Joseph. “Youth In Nursing Homes Seek Alternative Care.” NPR, NPR, 9 Dec. 2010, http://www.npr.org/2010/12/09/131916238/youth-in-nursing-homes-seek-alternative-care.
Shapiro, Joseph. “A New Nursing Home Population: The Young.” NPR, NPR, 9 Dec. 2010, http://www.npr.org/2010/12/09/131912529/a-new-nursing-home-population-the-young.